Petunia plant named ‘Fipetpurheart’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Petunia  plant named ‘Fipetpurheart’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounding growth habit; freely branching habit; freely flowering habit; large purple-colored flowers with dark purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Petunia×hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘FIPETPURHEART’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct Petunia plant,botanically known as Petunia×hybrida and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Fipetpurheart’.

The new Petunia plant is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in De Lier, The Netherlands. The objective ofthe breeding program is to create new freely-branching Petunia plantswith early and freely flowering habit, and attractive flower color.

The new Petunia plant originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor in 2008 in De Lier, The Netherlands of a proprietary selectionof Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111060, not patented,as the female, or seed parent with a proprietary selection ofPetunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111070. The new Petuniaplant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single floweringplant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlledgreenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands in 2008.

Asexual reproduction of the new Petunia plant by terminal cuttings in acontrolled greenhouse environment in De Lier, The Netherlands since 2009has shown that the unique features of this new Petunia plant are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Petunia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural conditions. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Fipetpurheart’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Fipetpurheart’ as a new and distinct Petuniaplant:

-   -   1. Upright, outwardly spreading and mounding growth habit.    -   2. Freely branching habit.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Large purple-colored flowers with dark purple-colored        venation.    -   5. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the female parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the femaleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more vigorous than plants of        the female parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of        the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of the male parentselection. Plants of the new Petunia differ from plants of the maleparent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia are more upright than and not as        trailing as plants of the male parent selection.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia have larger flowers than plants of        the male parent selection.

Plants of the new Petunia can be compared to plants of Petunia×hybrida‘Fort Purple Vein’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,333. Inside-by-side comparisons conducted in De Lier, The Netherlands, plantsof the new Petunia differed from plants of ‘Fort Purple Vein’ in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Petunia were more upright than plants of        ‘Fort Purple Vein’.    -   2. Plants of the new Petunia had larger flowers than plants of        ‘Fort Purple Vein’.    -   3. Plants of the new Petunia and ‘Fort Purple Vein’ differed in        flower color as plants of ‘Fort Purple Vein’ had light        violet-colored flowers with dark violet-colored venation.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new Petunia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Petunia plant. The photograph comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering plant of ‘Fipetpurheart’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown in 10.5-cm containers during the winterin a glass-covered greenhouse in De Lier, The Netherlands. During theproduction of the plants, day and night temperatures averaged 18° C.Plants were ten weeks old when the photograph and description weretaken. In the following description, color references are made to TheRoyal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2007 Edition, except wheregeneral terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Petunia×hybrida ‘Fipetpurheart’.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111060.        -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of            Petunia×hybrida identified as code number For 111070.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By terminal cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About five to seven days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About six to eight days at            temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 14 to 19            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 14 to 21            days at temperatures of 19° C. to 20° C.        -   Root description.—Fine; white in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; moderately dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright, outwardly spreading and            mounding growth habit; moderately vigorous growth habit.        -   Branching habit.—Freely branching habit with about five            primary lateral branches each with multiple secondary            lateral branches; pinching is typically not required.        -   Plant height.—About 17 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 20 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 19 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 4 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Strength.—Moderately strong.        -   Aspect.—Initially upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture.—Densely pubescent; viscid.        -   Color.—Close to 144B.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.        -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 4.2 cm.        -   Shape.—Ovate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Densely pubescent;            viscid.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate; arcuate.        -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded leaves, upper surface:            Close to 143A; venation, close to 143A. Developing and fully            expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 143C; venation,            close to 143C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and flowering habit.—Relatively large            salverform flowers arranged singly arising from leaf axils;            freely flowering habit with usually about 18 flowers            developing per plant; flowers face upright to outwardly.        -   Fragrance.—None detected.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants typically beginning            flowering about 6.5 weeks after planting; plants flower            continuously from late spring into the autumn in The            Netherlands.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about five days on            the plant; flowers persistent.        -   Flower buds.—Shape: Narrowly oblanceolate. Length: About            3.5 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Color: Close to 149A and N77A.        -   Flower diameter.—About 6 cm.        -   Flower length (height).—About 4.5 cm.        -   Throat diameter.—About 1.5 cm.        -   Tube length.—About 3 cm.        -   Tube diameter.—About 5 mm.        -   Corolla.—Arrangement: Five petals fused at the base and            opening into a flared trumpet. Petal length from throat:            About 2.5 cm. Petal lobe width: About 2.5 cm. Petal shape:            Spatulate. Petal apex: Cuspidate. Petal margin: Entire.            Petal lobe texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous. Tube texture:            Densely pubescent. Color: Petal, when opening and fully            opened, upper surface: Close to N78B; venation, close to            N77A; color does not fade with development. Petal, when            opening and fully opened, lower surface: Close to N78C to            N78D; venation, close to N77A to N77C; color does not fade            with development. Throat: Close to N77A; venation, close to            N77A. Tube: Close to N77A; venation, close to N77A.        -   Calyx.—Arrangement: One star-shaped calyx tube with five            sepals per flower, sepals fused at the base. Sepal length:            About 2.5 cm. Sepal width: About 5 mm. Sepal shape: Narrowly            oblong. Sepal apex: Acute. Sepal base: Cuneate. Sepal            margin: Entire. Sepal texture, upper and lower surfaces:            Densely pubescent; viscid. Color, upper surface: Close to            143A. Color, lower surface: Close to 143C.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle:            About 40° from stem axis. Strength: Moderately strong.            Texture: Densely pubescent; viscid. Color: Close to 144A.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Five.            Filament length: About 2.5 cm. Filament color: Close to            N155D and 157D. Anther shape: Broadly reniform. Anther            length: About 1.5 mm. Anther color: Close to 161B. Pollen            amount: None observed. Pistils: Quantity per flower: One.            Pistil length: About 2.1 cm. Style length: About 1.8 cm.            Style color: Close to 145B. Stigma shape: Flattened,            three-lobed. Stigma color: Close to N77A. Ovary color: Close            to 145A. Fruits and seeds: Fruit and seed development have            not been observed on plants of the new Petunia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Petunia have been observed to    have good garden performance and tolerate wind, rain and    temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about 35° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: Plants of the new Petunia have not been    observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Petunia    plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Petunia plant named ‘Fipetpurheart’ as illustrated and described. 